Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you have any idea that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effect on the 1st July 2021? Landlords must ensure their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of a new or renewed tenancy and all private rental properties must be fully conforming by the 1st July 2024.

The areas covered by the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We can assess your rental property to determine if it meets the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager of any tasks that needs to be completed and provide the report with all the information required to complete your tenancy agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to comply with the requirements to comply with the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord who is found to be not following the rules could be subject to fines of up to $7,200 plus additional healthier homes connected fines.

We are completely independent assessors of rental property, in addition, we’re completely certified to assess both Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Since the 1st July of 2021, once a new, renewed or varied tenancy is signed on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance items must be completed by the end of 90 days.

From the 1st of July in 2021, once a new or renewed contract is signed on the Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be completed within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to any of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the deadlines can result in penalties of up to $7200. In addition, if the currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance isn’t incorporated within a new, renewed or revised tenancy agreement it could result in additional penalties or an infringement fee.

Any tenant may request details regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they are related to the house they reside in. If the the property manager doesn’t provide the required information within 21 days from getting the notice, the tenant may receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is an additional fine of as much as $900 for landlords or property managers that provide false or misleading Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is listed on the tenancy agreement as the one who is who is letting the property, so it could be the landlord’s name or the company that manages the property.

All information in the Statement of Compliance requirements to be current when the tenancy agreement is signed, and ideally it should be maintained throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also important to keep in mind that a landlord with multiple rental properties could face more severe penalties for not complying. The harshest penalties are given for serious breaches, and landlords with six or more properties can receive fines of up to $50,000, and even as high as $100,000 in the case of hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to meet requirements of Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet hard, and result in significant fines and still being required to adhere to the regulations. Don’t put your rental at risk. property Call us today and arrange to have a house evaluation performed on the rental property you are renting.

See the full details for details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

What is the reason Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households from New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research shows us that these rental houses are most likely to be colder, older and have less efficient heating and have lower quality than the houses of owners.

The damp, cold and mouldy houses are associated with negative health outcomes, particularly ailments like colds and influenza, asthma, and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report four or more major house quality problems often experience less satisfaction in their lives and lower mental health.

Improving the quality of Plimmerton rental property will allow tenants to enjoy improved physical and mental health, and lessen the disturbance to learning, work and living due to health issues. Your investment is also better secured from mildew, mould and damp-related damage, which completed jobs in lower costs for maintenance in the long run.

The Healthy Homes Standards are a listing of minimum and specific standards for Heating, Insulation Ventilation and Ventilation and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Plimmerton rental properties.

Begin now by calling about getting a Plimmerton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts increase the likelihood of low temperatures inside homes. A damp house costs more to heat, meaning wasting money and energy.

If a draught could be felt from unreasonable gaps or holes, it needs to be closed.

What are unjustifiable gaps or holes?

If you can feel external air coming in or the sound of a clear draught emanating from a gap or hole and you are able to feel it, it is probably a gap or hole which needs sealing in any way. Cracks and gaps that are large should be fixed permanently. The gaps that exceed 3mm that let air into or out into the home require to be sealed. For example, if the open fireplace isn’t used it could cause draughts, and should be shut from. Property managers and landlords are accountable for making sure that such draughts are squelched as much as imaginable.

There is no need to block gaps or holes in the building. For instance, small gaps around doors and windows might be necessary to allow for movement within the building as the home gets warmer and cooler, so that they can still be closed and opened rather than sticking. We will examine the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Check out the complete details to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Proper heating is crucial to ensure healthy homes

Heating Plimmerton

Rental properties in Plimmerton must have a fixed heating source that can heat the principal or the biggest living space to at least 18degC, even on the coldest days of the year. This is the recommended minimum indoor temperature that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical well-being and mental wellbeing.

The source of heating requirements that it be permanently fixed (i.e., not portable) and at minimum 1.5 horsepower in capacity, and it must have the minimum capacity for heating required for the main living room. The Heating Assessment Tool can be used to determine whether the current installed heater(s) are adequate or whether you will require to "top-up" with an additional heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters such as mobile LPG bottle heaters are not considered acceptable heating options in the Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating that you provide is electric heating or heat pump, then it must have the thermostat. This will help make the heating more uniform and effective. For most homes, larger fixed heating equipment like heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartment buildings, a smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your main living space already has a fixed heating source, such as the heat pump, it could require some additional energy to make sure it meets the requirements. Certain kinds of heaters cannot be used to meet the quality because they’re inefficient, unaffordable to operate and/or unsafe to run.

See the full details to the Healthy Homes heating needs.

Ventilation Plimmerton

Each liveable space in a rental property has to contain at minimum one open doors or windows to offer natural ventilation. In addition, humid areas such as kitchens or bathrooms must have a suitable externally vented extractor fan that can get rid of moisture.

This ventilation standard is about recognising the fact that dried air can be more easy to heat, and that the property that is properly ventilated is less likely to be a victim of mould and damp.

Living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens and dining rooms are all considered living spaces. Connecting spaces such as the hallway are not considered liveable and don’t require an opening door or window.

Each window, door or skylight needs to have the ability to open to the outside and remain fixed in an open position, allowing for fresh air circulation and air flow.

The bathrooms in all kitchens and any other area in your house that houses shower, bath, cooktop or other high moisture-producing item will need appropriate extractor fans that are vented to the outside. Our Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space that includes extractor fans that are suitable for areas that are high in moisture.

Check out the complete details of The Healthy Homes ventilation quality.

A comfortable, dry house is an ideal home

Insulation Plimmerton

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings has been compulsory on all rental houses since July 1, 2019. Property managers and landlords have to make sure that the insulation is in line with current standard. In some instances, existing ceiling insulation or insulation in the subfloor space might require to be filled with or replaced.

A properly insulated home can help control condensation and lessen the likelihood of dampness and mould, and also makes much easier for the house to retain warmth.

Insulation needs to meet the R-values that are appropriate for your region.

The "R" refers to thermal resistance, and it is a measurement of how well the insulation resists heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the quality of insulation.

• Zone 1 Zone 1 Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – The rest area of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9, underfloor R 1.3
• Zone 3 Zone 3 North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3 below floor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Making sure your rental property is protected from moisture isn’t just about the interior of the building; you have to ensure there is somewhere for surface and ground water to go, and prevent it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is frequently not apparent that it can become a big problem and cause damage to your investment and affecting your tenant’s well-being.

Rental properties should be equipped with effective drainage to eliminate rainwater, storm water, and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure that the water has a proper place to go, and also that it can’t linger underneath the structures is a crucial aspect of maintaining your property’s dry.

Alongside the drainage system that will prevent moisture from entering, if your rental has an enclosed gap between the floor and the soil, a ground-water barrier must be put in place when it’s reasonably practicable to do so.

A ground moisture barrier is usually an insulating sheet of polythene laid over the ground, in order to block any moisture from the ground from accumulating into the building. It also helps prevent any damage to your underfloor insulation.

Learn more about this Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Plimmerton

Property rental areas that are affected to Health Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard in Plimmerton include each:

• Living Room
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are many things to look over during a home evaluation to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standard. The most common are:

• Is the space under the floor well-insulated? Is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Is the ceiling insulation in need of topping up? require replenishment or replacement?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there draught-stopping?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having an Healthy Home in accordance with lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently falling on the wrong side of the Tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for landlords and property managers. For expert advice, call now and schedule your rental properties home evaluation.